CA news run-down...

Last post from the UK - leaving for Bishkek tomorrow for 4 months of first-hand experience rather than just keeping up with events in cyberspace. So, usual caveat about possibly erratic posting, and if anyone is in Bishkek, feel free to drop me a line - email is in my profile. Anyhow, on to stories from the last week:

Regional

• RIA Novosti has a brief report on migration balances in CIS countries, noting that only Belarus and Russia have positive balances. The highest negative balances are in Armenia and Kyrgyzstan.
• RFE/RL reports on a report by the UN that indicates that Central Asia is lagging behind in human development, along with sub-Saharan Africa.
• CIS representatives discussed plans for the CIS 15th anniversary in Minsk on Tuesday, according to RIA Novosti.
• A joint report from the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation places Russia second in the number of reforms it has carried out, reports RIA Novosti. Georgia was the country that carried out the most reforms.

Kazakhstan

• Cheap drugs to treat HIV and AIDS could become more available now that the republic has joined the Clinton foundation reports AlertNet. Member of the foundation are able to procure medications at 50 - 90% lower than usual lowest prices.
• DMEurope reports that Alcatel is to deliver an e-government programme in Kazakhstan to be implemented in Astana and Almaty in 2006 - 07.

Kyrgyzstan

• Development Gateway has posted a KyrgyzInfo piece about Aidar Akaev's apparently impending return to Kyrgyzstan to answer charges against him.
• The government has responded to Uzbek accusations of allowing terrorists to train in the republic by denying any terrorists were trained in Kyrgyzstan and stressing the need to strengthen the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border to help prevent future attacks, reports RFE/RL. Muslim Uzbekistan notes that activities to strengthen the border in the Ferghana valley are already underway.
• After the tensions caused by the situation with refugees from Andijan, UzReport has an article asserting that Kyrgyz-Uzbek relations are now developing more positively according to the Kyrgyz Ambassador to Uzbekistan.
• There were protests in Osh and Kara-Suu recently in response to the killing of local business man Abdalim Junsov and his driver on Monday. Junsov was the former director of the Turatali market, which has reportedly been under the control of deputy Bayaman Erkinbaev since the March uprising (Development Gateway).
• Also from Developement Gateway comes a report that a new gas and oil field has been discovered and opened about 50 km from Jalal-Abad. Oil production is estimated to be 100 - 120 tonnes of crude oil per day.
• More worryingly, Kyrgyzstan's energy supplies for the coming winter are still proving problematic as ISN reports. It is hoped that Kazakhstan will be able to supply gas after Uzbekistan reneged on contracts, but, as KyrgyzInfo notes, Bishkek is not yet prepared for the winter season, with extensive repairs to the system still required.
• AlertNet reports on the activities of a youth NGO camp run as a UN initiative in the republic focused on increasing awareness of drug addiction and HIV/AIDS.
• Develpoment Gateway has posted an article taken from Verchernii Bishkek entitled "Foreign investors are leaving Kyrgyzstan - this is the current reality" citing concerns that the new government may turn out to be just as corrupt as the previous regime, contributing to the increased criminalisation of business.

Tajikistan

• AlertNet reports that demining operations in the republic are set to expand in the east of the country following the creation of two new demining teams trained by the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action.
• Less positively (and despite my own reservations about missionaries), Muslim Uzbekistan has a report that more Christian missionary organisations have been banned in Tajikistan following complaints from local Muslim clerics.
• Italy's AKI news agency reports on the OSCE's concerns about restrictions on media freedom in the republic due to many independent newspapers being unable to actually get printed.

Turkmenistan

• Hot on the heels of rumours about where a new US base could be located comes a refutation from Turkmen officials that it will be in the republic, reports News Central Asia. The government press release noted that Turkmenistan intends to maintain its status as an officially neutral country and allowing a US base on Turkmen territory would violate that principle. On the same topic, Stephen Blank's Eurasianet commentary argues that the rumours are part of a Russian disinformation campaign.
• Gas, meanwhile is the subject of more flexible dealing according to a Kommersant article that asserts that Turkmenistan has sold gas twice - to Russia's Gazprom and Ukraine's Naftogaz, with concerns being raised that gas supplies are sufficient to honour both contracts.

Uzbekistan

• RFE/RL regular Daniel Kimmage has written an article entitled "Uzbekistan: Andijon and the 'Information War'", looking at circumstances surrounding reporting of events and thier aftermath and the consequences. ITAR-Tass also has an article on the so-called 'information war'.
• Bulgaria's Focus News reports that Uzbekistan has issued a request to Romania to extradite 439 "terrorists" on the ground of their participation in the Andijan disturbances. Romanian officials have declined the request.
• KazInform has a short report on the findings of the Uzbek Attorney General's report into the events of Andijan, which unsurprisingly pin the blame firmly on terrorists and extremists who apparently prepared at bases in southern Kyrgyzstan.

Reports, publications, etc.

• News Wire has a press release on Martha Brill Olcot's new book "Central Asia's Second Chance". Excerpts and more information can be found on the Carnegie Endowment website.
• RFE/RL's latest Reporting Central Asia Vol. 5 no. 34 (Sept. 8) is available.
• AlertNet's Weekly Central Asia News Wrap (Sept. 9) is available.